


Front Step

by MeganWrites



Series: Prompts [1]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-23
Updated: 2014-09-23
Packaged: 2018-02-18 13:10:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2349569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeganWrites/pseuds/MeganWrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mickey's sitting on the front step, Ian doesn't know why.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Front Step

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr prompt from maddiebonanafana: "Eugene has respiratory problems, Mickey makes sure he gets medication for it and acts protective over him with Ian questioning him about it."

Putting Yevgeny down for a nap is fucking task. Ian kind of regrets offering to do it after fifteen minutes of the baby seeming to doze off and then screaming as soon as Ian gets to the bedroom door. Then when he finally does get Yevgeny to sleep, he walks into the living room planning to cuddle up next to Mickey again and finding the room empty. He frowns and looks around, figures maybe Mickey is the bathroom or something and sits down on the couch wrapping a blanket around his body.

A few minutes pass in silence before Ian hears Mickey cursing outside and stomping back into the house. He spares Ian a quick look and grumbles, "lighter's dead," as he digs through one of his brother's jacket pockets. He pulls a lighter and turns around, stomping back outside.

Ian quirks his head at the unusually behavior, he walks over to the door and pulls the blanket tightly around him as he follows Mickey outside. It's almost weirder when Ian finds Mickey doing nothing but sitting on the front steps and lighting up a cigarette. Ian sits down next to him and takes in the atmosphere of dull, dark Chicago winters.

"You get shithead to sleep?" Mickey blows out a long stream of smoke as he speaks.

Ian nods, "yeah, and he sounded good too. No more wheezing so I think the medicine is working."

Mickey frowns and doesn't respond, looking doing at his boots and picking some dried mud off the toes.

A few days earlier Mickey had taken Yevgeny to the hospital for some breathing problems (going against his regular claim that hospitals are a scam). Apparently Mickey had thrown a huge fuss, yelling at nurses to get their shit together and basically forcing his way up the already short waiting list. The Doctor's had down some tests, worried that it might be Bronchitis or maybe Asthma that was causing the problems, but in the end figured out that Yevgeny had the flu. He'd been prescribed with some medicine for his throat and that was that.

Mickey still didn't like talking about it. Ian knew he didn't want to admit it but the whole thing had terrified Mickey.

Mickey spits on the sidewalk and sniffs harshly, "you know, it's 'cause fuckin' Svetlana smoked the whole fuckin' pregnancy." Mickey snarls the words, his fingers are twitching and his right foot is tapping on the ground. It's fucking freezing outside so Ian doesn't blame Mickey for being so twitchy, Ian is wrapped up in a blanket and he's still shivering. "I mean, the bitch says she loves the kid so damn much and yet she did shit to make sure he came out healthy," Mickey continues his tense rant, throwing his hands around to add effect to his words. "And then she expects me to give a shit about the little fucker!"

Ian chuckles and looks down at his knees, "you do give a shit about the fucker though."

"Fuck off," Mickey grumbles, which Ian has learned is really code for _'you're right, but I'll never tell you'_.

Ian glances at Mickey, sees that his fingers are shaking as he lifts the filter to his lips and sucks. His cheeks and the tips of his ears are pink from the cold leading Ian to wonder how long Mickey's been sitting out on the front step.  
  
"You're going to get frostbite smoking out here."

Mickey scowls deeply and shakes his head, "I'm fine, Ian."

Ian sighs and pulls the blanket tighter around his shoulders, "why are you out here anyways?"

"The beautiful scenery," Mickey answers waving his hand across the not-so beautiful view of the L and the decaying crack house across the street. Ian rolls his eyes at the obvious deflection and nudges Mickey with his elbow earning a small smile from the brunet. Mickey reaches over and rests his hand on Ian's knee, rubbing his thumb over the fabric of the blanket. It's one of those small affection things that Mickey will occasionally do when they're in public, always filling Ian with stupid butterflies and making him smile. He hopes that feeling never goes away.

"You should go inside," Mickey says, turning his gaze to Ian. Ian frowns causing Mickey to sigh deeply and hold up the cigarette, "I'm just gonna finish this and then I'll be in."

Ian furrows his brow, putting his hand over Mickey's and tugging at as he stands, "just bring it in."

Mickey stays firmly seated despite Ian's pull on his arm, and looks down with a quick shake of his head. Ian drops Mickey's hand and crosses his arms, because what the fuck? Mickey is freezing, and Ian is definitely freezing, so what's the fucking issue?

Mickey is chewing on his lip and picking at dirt on his boots again, cigarette perched between his fingers as he takes long drags. Ian watches the smoke being blown out, billowing and drifting away in the cold air. Mickey coughs lightly and Ian almost gasps as he realizes what is happening. He drops down on to the step next to Mickey and leans against him, resting his head on Mickey's shoulder. Mickey grumbles at the movement but contradicts himself as he shuffles a little closer.

"You know it wasn't second hand smoke, right?"

"I was at the fuckin' hospital; I talked to the fuckin' doctor, so yes I know." Mickey grumbles, and goes back to rubbing at Ian's knee. "But he also said it could've been asthma or some shit, so..."

"So? Both of us grew up around smokers and we don't have asthma."

Mickey rubs a hand over his face with an exasperated sigh, "it's still bad for the little fuckhead."

"Well, you know Svetlana and Nika will never stop smoking in the house." Ian comments as he closes his eyes, cuddled up next to Mickey he's starting to feel warm and cozy. "And you'd have to kill your brothers to get them to stop; it would probably take a lot of convincing to get Mandy to do it too."

"And nobody fuckin' asked them to," Mickey grunts and scowls at Ian, "didn't even tell you about it so I don't give a shit what they do."

"But you're not going to smoke inside anymore," Ian adds and smiles as Mickey ducks his head shyly. Ian grabs Mickey's free hand and twines their fingers together, nuzzling closer to Mickey and whispers, "I'm proud of you."

Mickey squeezes Ian's hand back and takes another long drag, blowing the smoke out as he mutters, "I just don't want the kid to fuckin' die, not something to be proud of."

"It is though," Ian comments and sits up, putting a hand on Mickey's chin forcing him to turn his head until their face-to-face. "You don't have any obligation to care about him. Fuck, if I were you I don't know if I would, but you do. You're a pretty good dad, Mick. Maybe you won't be playing catch with him in the park, and maybe you won't read to him at night, but you care about him and you look out for him. That's more than a lot of kid’s get, that's more than either of us got."

There's a small smile growing on Mickey's lips as Ian speaks, it's soft and secretive, completely opposite to Mickey's rough persona. It's one of the little things about Mickey that not many people get to see and Ian loves that he's one of the few that has the privilege to see him like this.  
  
"I'm going to stop smoking inside too," Ian adds with a cheeky grin.

Mickey snorts and shoves at Ian's arm playfully, "you barely even smoke anymore."

Ian chuckles and shrugs, "it's the thought that counts."

Mickey rolls his eyes, flicking the cigarette butt to the ground and leans over pressing a short kiss to Ian's lips. "Come on, dumbass, let's go inside." Mickey stands up and reaches out his hand until Ian grabs and is hoisted off the step, both of them rushing through the door and finally back to the heat of the house.

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr :)](http://meganwwrites.tumblr.com)


End file.
